Things I said today:

“We’re watching what is arguably the most significant terrorist attack on U.S. soil in 19 years, against both the processes and symbols of democracy itself. Call it what it is.”

“Turns out social media has not improved the experience of real-time terrorism since 2001.”

“I hate knowing nothing is going to change.”

I’d really like to hope the United States proves me wrong on that last one. I’d like to hope that GOP voters and officials will put an end to their alliance with white supremacy. Nothing in the last 50 years makes me think they will, though.

I’d like to hope that Democratic voters and officials will make systemic reforms to protect democracy, act against systemic racism, and protect marginalized peoples, instead of trying to win the next election while working with the GOP to prevent any viable third parties from existing. Nothing in the last 50 years makes me think they will, though.

I’d like to hope that white people who have been in denial about how their actions reinforce racist and anti-democratic systems will be shocked into realization and reformation, into realizing that patriots act by working hard to win elections and not by commit acts of terrorism in the Capitol Building while carrying Confederate battle flags, into realizing that white “protestors” are more likely to be rioters and terrorists and black “thugs” are more likely to be peaceful protestors and yet the police response is entirely backwards. Nothing in the history of our country makes me think they will, though.

Keep moving forward. Keep doing the good you can, where you can. Try to leave the country a better place than it was before you.